VANDALS set fire to a picnic bench at the brand new BMX track in Shepshed – just a few weeks after it officially opened.

Coun Joan Tassell, chair of Shepshed Town Council, says she is appalled with the act which has left the area off Oakley Road, in a terrible condition.

She told the Echo: “The council is trying to do things for Shepshed but every step we take because of vandalism we are taking two steps back.

“It is just mindless. It has just been opened and it has been put there for the benefit of the community and this is what happens.

“It is as if someone has a vendetta about everything we try and do in Shepshed. It is debatable whether we replace it. They tried to set fire to another bench (also near the track) and broke the seat on it.

“Something new in Shepshed has been ruined.”

The fire service were called at 9.18pm to a report of a fire at the track on Wednesday, September 3.

A high pressure hose from Birstall was deployed and the bench fire was extinguished at 9.38pm.

The fire service says the blaze is being logged as deliberate.

The track, off Oakley Road, went unused until Shepshed BMX Club was reformed by some of the original members, including Kirk Walker and Andrew Palmer, in 2009 with the aim of bringing it back up to national standard.

After an agreement to use the land from Shepshed Town Council, they secured National Lottery funding and set to work, which, after a number of setbacks was finally finished last year.

The track had been due for the grand opening on May 11 but was cancelled over safety fears due to rain.

But it went ahead as planned on Sunday, August 17.

Last month, the town was hit with another wave of vandalism, when its new nature reserve off Blacksmiths Avenue was trashed before it had even opened.

• Anyone with information about the bench fire should call the police 101.